Carrot Juice Tisane

Staying well hydrated is the most basic-yet most important-step you can take each day to ensure wellness and weight loss.

When your body becomes dehydrated, it can literally start to shrivel, and your body’s delicate biochemical processes can’t operate at peak function. We’re all susceptible to this. Studies have shown that 50 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

Signs of dehydration include: chapped lips, joint and back stiffness, headaches, foggy brain, memory loss, slowed metabolism, constipation, and dark urine. Dehydration can even change the curvature of the lenses of your eyes, causing difficulty focusing and other visual problems.

Hydration also supports weight loss by flushing out toxins that interfere with endocrine function and thereby actual fat elimination from the body. And as many of us have heard over the years, the body can misread thirst signals as hunger pangs, contributing to overeating.

How Much Water Do You Need?

Use the “Weight Formula for Water Intake” to determine your individual requirement. Here’s how it works: Divide your weight in half. The number equals the ounces of water you need daily. For example, if you weigh 120 lb, aim to consume about 60 ounces of water per day.

Carrot Juice Tisane

Serves 1

Recipe excerpted from 365 Skinny Smoothies: Delicious Recipes to Help You Get Slim and Stay Healthy Every Day of the Year by Daniella Chace

This smoothie is slightly sweet, light, yet fortifying.

• 1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
• 1/4 cup ice
• 1 Tbs. chia seeds

Combine ingredients in a high-power blender or food processor (such as a BlendTecand blend until smooth. Drink immediately.
Culinary Tip: Herbal teas, such as chamomile, blend well with carrot juice.

Per serving:

Calories 117 Fat 5 Carbs 12 Fiber 7 Protein 4

Tip: Use filtered water for tea and ice cubes.

Tip: Organic carrot juice is free of agricultural chemicals that can interfere with metabolic function.